CNS Canada –– A mild winter and a warm, dry spring have created some favourable hatching conditions for grasshoppers in Alberta, with the possibility of a severe outbreak in some areas. According to Mark Cutts, a crop specialist with Alberta Agriculture in Stettler, higher numbers of grasshoppers lie in a region northwest of Edmonton. Beyond […] Read more

‘Severe’ grasshopper numbers loom over northern Alberta

CBOT weekly outlook: Soybeans surge with USDA report
CNS Canada — Corn and soybean contracts on the Chicago Board of Trade both posted gains during the week ended Wednesday, and further advances are likely, according to an analyst. Agricultural markets were sent into a flurry of activity Tuesday when the U.S. Department of Agriculture released a report that slashed the outlook for both […] Read more

Fertilizer prices look to rise by late summer
CNS Canada — A rise in prices for soybeans and other crops could make fertilizer more expensive in the coming months, according to a major player in the industry. In the May market report from the Mosaic Co., the company credited the rally in agricultural commodity prices, the strengthening of key currencies and various Indian […] Read more

Canola to get early test as Prairies brace for frost
CNS Canada — Overnight lows of -2 or -3 C are expected across much of Saskatchewan by Wednesday or Thursday, according to Environment Canada forecasts. The colder temperatures are expected to make their way into Manitoba by Friday. That could put some stress on canola plants that have already emerged, according to industry watchers. “As […] Read more

Prairie spring wheat bids rise with dry weather
CNS Canada — Cash spring wheat bids across Western Canada improved during the week ended Friday, with prices receiving support from dry weather conditions in Alberta and Saskatchewan. Weakness in the Canadian dollar, which fell from the US80-cent mark to the mid-77-cent range between April 29 and Friday, added to the upside. Depending on the […] Read more

ICE weekly outlook: Canola hits $500, watching volumes
CNS Canada — ICE Futures Canada canola contracts seem to have found a new range during the week ended Wednesday, with both the July and November contracts lifting around the $500 per tonne mark. Weakness in the Canadian currency and a dry weather premium in Western Canada were behind a lot of the support. As […] Read more

Fababean acreage muted this year
CNS Canada –– Lower pricing and a softer supply/demand ratio has fababeans trailing some of their more high-profile pulse cousins when it comes to grower intentions across the Canadian Prairies this year. “The marketplace is really being driven by lentils and peas. The indication for many growers is to put their acres into those type […] Read more

Pressure on oat prices sends farmers scouting other crops
CNS Canada — Lukewarm prices for oats, coupled with dry conditions in Alberta and soggy conditions in Manitoba, are crimping acreage this year. Generally known as one of the hardier crops around, oats haven’t been setting any record highs on price charts, resulting in a forecast of 11 per cent less acreage in Canada. “The […] Read more

ICE weekly outlook: Canola watching acreage numbers
CNS Canada — ICE Futures Canada canola contracts rose during the week ended Wednesday, as strong advances in U.S. soy overpowered resistance cast on the market by the stronger Canadian dollar. The canola market “was able to get some support from the soy action but the Canadian dollar has taken most of it away… it’s […] Read more

Prairie spring wheat bids tick lower
CNS Canada — Cash spring wheat bids across Western Canada were slightly weaker during the week ended Friday, as the Canadian dollar gained ground relative to its U.S. counterpart. Depending on the location, average Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS) wheat prices were down by roughly $1 to $2.50 per tonne over the course of the […] Read more